First-time Challenger Elli Schneider recalls going there, doing that and getting the t-shirt on TGOC24!
‘But I really want that shirt’ was the only thought in my head as I was nearing the halfway point of my first TGO Challenge – TGOC24. I was suffering from the worst cold I’ve had in years, had lost my voice and felt horrible. I slowly hiked into Kingussie under a scorching sun, wondering if I was now also running a fever or if I had heat exhaustion on top of everything else. I was in tears thinking that this would be the end.
Main image: Elli’s camp over Culra | Credit: Elli Schneider
I had hiked from Dornie through Knoydart, over bealachs and through pathless bog, miles away from civilisation and without signal for days. I was too stubborn to give up after coming this far – and not even because of a foot or blister issue but because of a cold. Anyway, I really wanted that Finisher shirt! In theory, just a piece of quick-dry fabric but for me, it’s the ultimate symbol of pushing through. And so I set off again the next day with half a litre of cough syrup and a week’s worth of ibuprofen.
Even though I wasn’t new to long-distance hiking, having walked the length of the UK in 2023, TGOC24 was different: For the first time in years I set off on a hike without my dog Otto. I intentionally planned a hard route to push myself and to test my own limits rather than walking at my dog’s pace.
The TGO Challenge turned out to be just that: A challenge! I felt anxious about sketchy river crossings and was exhausted after some very long days. I doubted myself and I sometimes felt lonely. But it was all worth it and I got to experience many special moments that will stay with me forever: The perfect wild camp spot at the foot of Sgùrr na Sgine, stargazing in absolute silence – just me, my tent and the majestic Munros of Knoydart; seeing deer swim across the bay near Sourlies and the sound of a cuckoo; watching the sun set behind Ben Alder and spotting the unicorns of Glen Feshie.
Finish line thoughts. Credit: Elli Schneider
I reached the finish line at Dunnottar Castle and spotted dolphins – for the first time in my life – in an unreal end. After 220 miles with many ups and some downs, I finally got the shirt! It is now one of my most prized possessions and will always remind me of an incredible journey.
What is the TGO Challenge?
The TGO Challenge is a non-competitive, self-supported backpacking event in which you have up to 15 days to walk across Scotland from West to East on your own bespoke route through the spectacular Highlands using the benefits of Scotland’s unique access code to wild camp in some wonderfully remote places. It is not a race. The focus is on savouring your environment, exploring places you can only reach by foot and enjoying rather than enduring the experience. There are no accolades for high or fast routes and the infinite possibilities for routes, variations in weather and different characters encountered on each crossing make each journey unique.
Visit tgochallenge.com to learn more about the TGO Challenge or read more tales from the TGOC24 in the November 2024 issue of The Great Outdoors.
